1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to networks of devices that can be connected using wireless links. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method and system for selecting and connecting to wireless access point within a local area network.
2. Background Art
Prior art FIG. 1 depicts a wireless radio frequency (RF) microphone 10 that is sending audio, via a Bluetooth® RF communication link 100, to a wireless audio access point 15. Bluetooth is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. This application is suitable for a teacher, using this wireless RF microphone 10, to address students in a classroom setting. Audio distribution using wireless RF communication is well understood in the prior art. Similar transmission methods using alternative RF communication protocols are also well understood in the art. For example, Wi-Fi® devices communicate using the IEEE 802.11 standards. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. It is also well known in the prior art to use IEEE 802.11 in conjunction with Internet Protocol to wirelessly transmit audio data, such as in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications.
One recent advance in wireless RF communication is Wi-Fi Direct, a wireless standard that allows Wi-Fi devices to communicate directly with each other without the need for a router. This peer-to-peer communication standard can be implemented in any Wi-Fi device. Those skilled in the art will recognize the advantages of transmitting audio data directly from a wireless microphone to a wireless audio access point in accordance with the Wi-Fi Direct specification.
Wireless RF communication can be established by a device, such as a microphone 10, by first broadcasting an inquiry message 101 to a wireless audio access point, such as an audio distribution point 15, which responds by broadcasting an inquiry response message 102.
FIG. 2 depicts a portion of a school building having several classrooms with the range of a typical wireless device thereupon superimposed. This clearly shows that in a school setting, the range 210 of a typical wireless device, such as wireless audio access point 15, located in a first classroom 21 extends well beyond the confines of that classroom. As shown, the wireless audio access point 15 located in the first classroom 21 would try to establish RF communication 100, with any compatible wireless devices located in a second classroom 22, a fourth classroom 24, and a fifth classroom 25. The wireless audio access point 15 also potentially interacts with some portion of the devices in a third classroom 23, a sixth classroom 26, a seventh classroom 27, and an eighth classroom 28. In fact, in the typical school layout illustrated only devices in a ninth classroom 29 would not interact with the wireless audio access point 15 in the first classroom 21.
The prior art does not provide an effective means of limiting wireless communications to the confines of a single classroom. The problems associated with employing a wireless microphone device in a multiple classroom setting are compounded when multiple wireless microphones are employed. For example, envision a classroom setting with both a teacher microphone and multiple student microphones. The solution to the original problem must now take into account the additional issues of interference, coordination and interoperability.